 What is going on guys welcome back to the channel critical overload here We're gonna be talking about the Blair witch project franchise in this video here today So it would appear that this franchise is in fact being revived Because we got some bombshell announcements or an announcement today at Cinemacon from Blumhouse and Lionsgate I'll get I work my way up to that in a second, but last year or in 2022 I Think it was last year production weekly I'm reading a bloody discussing article put out this report informing bloody disgusting and every other reputable outlet out there That Oliver Park had been hired to direct an untitled Blair witch sequel for Lionsgate And it's reportedly targeting a late summer fall shoot Park is a British writer director who helmed last year's the offering and his directing credits Also include stranger events still and a night of horror and nightmare radio of particular note The production company attached to the project is hacks and films the team behind the original Blair witch project These details have not yet been confirmed by Lionsgate at this time, but both Daniel Merrick and Or my rick and Eduardo Sanchez are listed as producers The original found footage classic from 1999 was written and directed by Merrick and Sanchez now I believe Eduardo did actually deny reports of a new film happening But I could be mistaken someone though a hundred percent did say there was no truth to these reports And then it was just crickets after we were reportedly told or told reportedly there was progress or Happenings to get a new Blair witch movie happening But maybe there is some truth to this old news after all because we got this bombshell announcement at cinema con today So this is also from bloody disgusting 25 years after the release of the original genre changing classic Lionsgate in Blumhouse announced out of cinema con today that they will partner on the development and production of a new The Blair witch project movie as the first film in a multi-picture packed with Blumhouse Reimagining horror classics from the Lionsgate library The announcement was made today by Adam Fogelsen chair Lionsgate motion picture group and Jason Blum founder and CEO of Blumhouse Based at Universal Pictures where it has a first look deal Blumhouse is the gold standard in the horror space Generating blockbuster results from a string of modestly budgeted films including the paranormal activity franchise insidious the purge sinister Halloween Five nights at Freddy's and Megan along with award winners get out and black clansmen Blumhouse films have gross nearly six billion at the worldwide box office Blum will team with producer Roy Lee on the new Blair which project movie Lee previously produced the 2016 film Blair Which the most recent installment in the franchise? Here is a comment from Fogelsen he says I have been incredibly fortunate to work with Jason many times over the years We forged a strong relationship on the purge when I was at Universal and we launched STX with his film the gift There is no one better at this genre than the team at Blumhouse We are thrilled to kick this partnership off with a new vision for Blair Which that will reintroduce reintroduce this horror classic for a new generation We couldn't be more pleased to be working with them on this and other projects. We look forward to revealing soon I'm very grateful to Adam and the team at Lionsgate for letting us play in their sandbox I'm a huge admirer of the Blair Which project which brought the idea of found footage horror to mainstream audiences and became a true cultural Phenomenon now that last comment was from Jason Blum He goes on to say I don't think there would have been a paranormal activity yet That's not a lie had there not first been a Blair Which so this feels like a truly special opportunity And I'm excited to see where it leads Found footage masterpiece the Blair Which project changed the game back in 1999 subsequently spawning its own sprawling universe of media including official follow-up films in 2016 as well as multiple books and video games that have deepened the lore I will say this these are my thoughts regarding this I see the outrage not necessarily outrage But well a little bit outrage and obviously some concern about this announcement that it's a pact of more to come Because of what it has happened lately with the exorcist and Blumhouse is involved with Halloween. It's more specifically the recent exorcist believer movie Which does a very big disservice to the legacy cast. It's not really all that good again I was actually surprised how decent it ended up being I think I ultimately gave it a six It's still not a very good movie. I will say I'm not one of those people who thinks it's utter trash There's just a lot of very bad Decision-making that could have made this much worse depending on if it was executed Much worse, but it ended up being a very decent film overall still to me But the exorcist believer is a prime example of why so many people are concerned that Blumhouse is now dipping their toes into the Blair Which project and in a way I Was already thinking it feels like a love. This is them trying to say thank you Obviously as the article references you wouldn't even have Blumhouse's most popular found footage IP Parano activity without movies like the Blair Which project However, again, there is reason to be concerned given what Blumhouse has been doing with some of the more popular known IPs like the exorcist and Halloween just in reference to Halloween ends Halloween ends wasn't everyone's cup of tea Because of the fact of how many people feel that Michael Myers was underutilized and it was a disrespect to Michael Myers not that he was made to feel insignificant to the overall story, but The way it was marketed and the overall execution the narrative switched to a boy We just our meeting named Corey Cunningham who should have been introduced in the very first film of this trilogy It just left a lot of people with a bad taste in their mouths and then you gave the exorcist believer So now diehard horror fans They don't trust that you can do a good job with the Blair Which project The Blair Which project is not a movie that I have revisited time and time and again off my hand Counting I think I've seen this movie at max six or seven times And that's not me doing any back-to-back repeat viewings That was just throughout my childhood whenever one of my cousins or even a friend who was in the horror Wanted to watch Something somehow the Blair Which project will come into the discussion and we turned it on the Blair Which project is not a movie that I consider to be trash by any means But there's a reason I haven't talked about it as much as I have the other IPs on this channel Because of the fact that it is not one of those IPs that I was mostly obsessed with like the others It's still a movie. I know is very impactful and where we are today with found footage It is a very well-made film I have to revisit it at this point now knowing that Blumhouse is going to be reviving this IP I watched the 2016 film when it dropped in 2016, but being that I was fresh out of high school I didn't have time to revisit it I had a lot of other things going on that took my attention away from the one that dropped in 2016 But I'm gonna familiarize myself with that original movie once again It'll be my eighth time watching it Hopefully what Blumhouse ends up doing with this IP will not taint it in the eyes of many and hopefully they can cook up something That is good because I know Blumhouse can cook up a good movie It's just that there's that bad taste and that concern people have Rightfully so because of what you've done lately with movies like the exorcist believer More specifically just the execution of it all and how David Gordon Green isn't being brought back I wonder why because the believer movie wasn't that good. There's also a creative shift I believe that was reported because of that downward spiral that came from that movie So people are rightfully concerned and just wanting this to be a movie that lives up to the legacy of the Blair witch project As it should but let me know what you guys think about this down in the comment section below If you haven't already, of course, make sure you subscribe turn on post notification numbers video any description I have links on my social media accounts. I am on Facebook Twitter and Instagram You can message me there to let me know if there any movies news reviews like me to cover in the future And with all that in mind guys, I will see you in the next video